Mild Memory Problems May Be More Common in Men

Jan. 25, 2012 -- Men may be more likely than women to experience mild memory or cognition problems. This condition, called mild cognitive impairment (MCI), often comes on before full-blown dementia.

More than just “senior moments,” MCI symptoms may include difficulty remembering recent events and/or new information, as well as problems with language, thinking, or judgment that are greater than age-related changes but not reaching dementia. People with MCI are at greater risk for developing dementia, but not all will develop dementia.

The new study included 1,450 people from Olmsted County, Minn., who were aged 70 to 89 and free of dementia when the study began. Participants took mental tests every 15 months for about three years and were interviewed about their memory. By the end of the study, 296 people developed MCI.

The rate of developing MCI was higher among men than women. Risk of MCI was also increased among people who were less educated and those who were single, the study showed.

Exactly why men seem to develop MCI more than women do is up for debate. “It is possible that women develop MCI later than men and that when they do, it is more severe, so we may miss it because they progress more rapidly to dementia,” says study author R.O. “Rosebud” Roberts. She is an epidemiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

In light of the new findings, “doctors should have a higher degree of suspicion for MCI in men,” she says.

Prevent MCI and Maybe Dementia, Too

Not everyone with MCI progresses to full-blown dementia, Roberts says.

“People with MCI may be cognitively normal at another stage, they may still have MCI, or they may progress to dementia,” she said. The majority will continue to display MCI symptoms or develop dementia.

“Once it has started, we don’t have any treatments for MCI,” she says.

As such, a lot is riding on preventing MCI, and hopefully dementia, too. “We need to start our efforts to reduce obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure earlier,” Roberts says. These risks are usually established by middle age.